Sauvie Island Wildlife Area BCS number: 47-28

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1 Sauvie Island Wildlife Area BCS number: Site description author(s) Mark Nebeker, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Manager Primary contact for this site Mark Nebeker, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Manager. Telephone: x 225, Mark.A.Nebeker@state.or.us Site location (UTM) Datum: NAD83, Zone: 10, Easting: , Northing: General description Sauvie Island Wildlife Area (SIWA) is one of several wetland-focused wildlife areas managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The wildlife area is located in Columbia and Multnomah Counties, south of the confluence of the Columbia River and Multnomah Channel, approximately 12 miles from downtown Portland. The wildlife area presently encompasses 11,543 acres. SIWA is one of Oregon s outstanding natural treasures, supporting diverse species and habitats. SIWA is an important part of the Pacific Flyway for migrating and wintering waterfowl, attracting peak concentrations of more than 150,000 ducks and geese in the winter. It is a keystone of the Portland/Vancouver regional natural resource complex and a Conservation Opportunity Area within the Oregon Conservation Strategy. Boundaries and ownership Boundaries: Sauvie Island Wildlife Area is located on the north end of the 24,000 acre Sauvie Island. The island is located at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. The island is bordered by the Willamette River on the south, Columbia River on the east and Multnomah Channel on the west. The wildlife area is 12 miles from downtown Portland. Ownership: Sauvie Island Wildlife Area includes 11,543 acres, of which 8,053 acres are under fee title to the ODFW and 3,490 acres of state owned waters are managed through a cooperative agreement with the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL). Water levels There are 4,563 acres of wetlands on SIWA. Of that total, 286 acres are located inside two levees that provide protection against flooding from the nearby Columbia and Description updated 02/19/2010 1

2 Willamette river systems. The remainder, including the 3,000 acre Sturgeon Lake, is located outside those levees. Wetlands in areas protected behind levees provide staff a higher degree of water level control and therefore greater flexibility to create and manage for specific habitat types. Those wetlands located outside protective levees are greatly influenced by the adjacent Columbia and Willamette Rivers and by tidal influences on a daily basis; consequently, management on these lands is more difficult and this limits management options. River levels are highly dependent of USACE hydroelectric / flood dams on both the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Description updated 02/19/2010 2

3 Focal species use and timing Focal Group/Species Wintering Breeding Migration Secretive Marsh Bird Group Present Present Present Colonial Nesting Bird Group Present Present Present Migrating Shorebird Group Present Present Present Ground-based Waterbird Group Unknown Unknown Unknown American Bittern Present Present Present American White Pelican Absent Present Present Barrow s Goldeneye Present Absent Absent Black Tern Absent Rare Absent Black-crowned Night Heron Absent Absent Absent Black-necked Stilt Absent Rare Rare Bufflehead Present Absent Present California Gull Present Present Present Caspian Tern Rare Uncommon Rare Clark's Grebe Rare Absent Absent Common Loon Rare Absent Rare Dusky Canada Goose Present Absent Present Eared Grebe Present Absent Present Forster's Tern Absent Absent Absent Franklin s Gull Rare Rare Rare Great Blue Heron* Present Present Present Greater Sandhill Crane Absent Absent Absent Green Heron Present Present Present Least Bittern Absent Absent Absent Lesser Sandhill Crane Present Present Present Long-billed Curlew Absent Rare Rare Pied-billed Grebe Present Present Present Red-necked Grebe Rare Absent Rare Snowy Egret Absent Absent Rare Sora Present Present Present Upland Sandpiper Absent Absent Absent Virginia Rail Present Present Present Western Grebe Present Rare Present Western Snowy Plover Absent Absent Absent White-faced Ibis Absent Rare Absent Yellow Rail Absent Absent Absent * Currently four Great Blue Heron rookeries are located on SIWA. Description updated 02/19/2010 3

4 Location of Type 1 and 2 habitat within the site Functional Group Type 1 Habitat Type 2 Habitat Ground Based Aquatic Birds Unknown Unknown Secretive Marsh Birds Moist soil managed units Wetland located outside levees Colonial Nesters Riparian zone Fragmented Riparian zone Migrating Shorebirds Tidal wetlands Moist soil managed units The Type 1 habitats are located within the Eastside levee adjacent to the Columbia River. Type 2 habitats are located through the wildlife area. Access to Type 1 and Type 2 habitats Access by foot and boat is open May 1 through September 30. Most portions of wildlife area are closed from October 1 through April 30. Vehicle access is limited and by ODFW permit in most areas. All wetlands can be accessed via foot and by vehicle during dry weather. Audibility/visibility of focal species Noise from farm machinery and overhead aircraft are the primary issues. Visibility for secretive marsh birds is problematic due to dense vegetation in the moist soil managed unit. Conservation issues Invasive plant species are a major issue on the wildlife area. Reed canarygrass occurs in Wetlands and Himalayan blackberry is prevalent in all upland locations. River level fluctuations vary greatly both from year to year and by season. In areas which are tidal, these fluctuations may have impacts to all habitat types which aquatic birds occur. A Negative impact would be flooding during nesting season and a positive impact would be large exposed mudflats during low flow periods. Conservation measures taken, in progress, or proposed Wetland restoration projects are a high priority and will continue as funding is available. Wetlands which are located inside levee areas are in moist soil management to produce high quality for aquatic birds. Invasive plant species control is ongoing, especially for reed canarygrass, Canada thistle, tansy ragwort, purple loosestrife, and Himalayan blackberry. Past and current surveys Bimonthly aerial bird counts are conducted as weather permits and Oregon State Police aircraft availability. The species which are counted during these aerial flights include waterfowl, cranes, herons, egrets, eagles. Weekly goose surveys are conducted when winter geese are present. (September-mid May). Point counts are conducted in the wildlife area s oak woodlands and waterbirds are counted if observed flying over. An annual Sandhill Crane roost count is conducted in October. The annual Christmas Bird Count is conducted on the wildlife area. Potential survey methods Description: Description updated 02/19/2010 4

5 Secretive Marsh Birds surveys would be valuable for wetland management purposes such as inundation/drawdown timing. Colonial Nesters have just recently started using the wildlife area in relatively large numbers and nests surveys would be valuable for riparian zone management issues. Many of these surveys could be conducted by trained volunteers through the Audubon Society of Portland, Important Bird Area program. Selection bias: (Discuss the potential for selection bias when designing a survey in the future, especially when sub-sample of the site will be studied. Point out how bias could be introduced and recommend ways to prevent this) Not applicable. Measurement error and bias: Moist-soil managed wetland units are difficult to survey visually due to dense vegetation. These wetlands would be well suited for audible bird surveys. Potential pilot studies Unknown Description updated 02/19/2010 5

6 Literature cited Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) The Oregon Conservation Strategy. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, Oregon. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Draft Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Management Plan. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem, Oregon Description updated 02/19/2010 6

7 Figure 1. Sauvie Island Wildlife Area Draft Management Plan (ODFW 2006) Description updated 02/19/2010 7